The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-02-26

The entire bridge was rooted over and sidet
up SO that the timbers were well protected.
Tho framing tinbers werc generally whit,
oak obtained in the immediate vicinity and a,
there was an unlimited supply from which I,
select they We're fine specimens of tmbers u!
only the best would be used
The timber was hewed or tit-sawed ut the sit,
cf the work, and all the workmanship seems I,
have been carefully and neatly DONE although
the spacing of certain parts is not very regular
pon the final inspection previous to the re
iuEsl OF the superstructure the timbers were
I'D TO be generally in perfectly sound con
ditiUa the only points where decay was discov
cred b. ing some few points on the tops of the
chords.
The i'm for the bridge is said to have been
made i. Pittsburgh, and transported by pacl,
horses "a teams. II bears the stamp of ClOn.
nyer & -. and am informe d that firm Ivy the
name '-i in business in that city at that date.
The 'acksmithng was all hand work and done
in C''illicothe.
'c masonry Of the abutments and piers was
cN.aidcred to be in sufficiently good condition
10 receive the new superstructure The only
repairs made were in removing and resetting
few stones ut the bottom OF the central pier,
W ch had become loosencd
The abutments and piers are built of free
stone in random courses, with smoothly dressed
faces and of comparatively small stones, the
courses averaging only about twelve inches in
bottom of the central pier it was found that the
dressed stoneworll had "a thickness of only
about twenty TO twenty-four inches the interior
being filled with small rubble well grouted
which had become almost as hard as the solid
work.
AT the time OF building the central pier was
placed in the main channel of the river. which
Is said to have had depth of fourteen or fifteen
feet; since then the channel has changed SO that
III low water the pier is now entirely on the
Shore The foundations of the pier is said to
nave been built in n floating caisson, having a
bottom OF q double thickness of timber extend
Ing some distance beyond the Dimensions OF the
pier. The two abutments were also placed on
timber foundations.
Tho buildings that were erected and occu-
p / by the early settlers in tho first Capitol Of
Ohio. have been, with scarcely an exception,
displaced, to make room for the more commO-
dous and convenient homes of their descend
ants. There is nothing to suggest to the casual
visitor the age and the associations that make
Ch'llicothe point ofinterest to persons famil-
lar with the history of Ohio and the Northwest
7 5iritory.
On the southeast corner OF Water and High
streets, however, one may see fine stucco
covered stone house, in a very fine state OF
preservation. This house was for years the
home Of u Ean who filled an important. or ut
least useful part in the early civic life of Ohio
The builder and owner of the house was Will
iliiH Creighton, IT., VINO Was the nrSt secretary
OF State that Ohio ever had.
Creighton, like most OF the early residents Of
the Scioto Valley. came from Virginia. He was
born in Be.llley County, OF that State In 1T77.
and removed 10 Chillicothe in 1700 where he
was admitted 20 the practice OF law in the same
year. There is no part OF the history OF Ross
County more entertaining, instructive and dra
matte than the personal history OF its dstin-
gushod bur OF early days
William Creighton became n successful law
yer and his lie ut the bar extended over a
period OF fifty years. Colonel w. E. Gilmore Mt
present postmaster Of ChillicotEe, was law
student in the Onice OF the first Secretary of
State, and he has preserved In his Pleasant
sketches OF the old bar. about all that Is known
OF him OF an available nature.
Mr.. Creighton, said Colonel Gilmore, was not
great lawyer nor n widely read enc, but he
applied himself to the interests OF his clients
with great perseverance,. He did not become
rich because he did not seek to acquire land,
but he wa possessed OF u competence. Creigh-
ION considered the law TO be nothing more
"A good sense and sound judgment crystal
lied into forms and rules, and he trusted large
ly 10 his own good sense as TO what those forms
md rules were or should be In given case.
He was but little accustomed TO looking up
prccedents or referring to decisions. When In
later years more exact knowledge OF the science
and philosophy OF law obtained and better ac
quaintance with reported cases was demanded
he was fortunate In associating with himself
William Key Bond and afterwards John l..
Green.
HE was great practical Joker, and the pum
ber md variety OF his pranks were almost count
Tess. one OF them that remember nearly had